University of Portsmouth - Advocacy Training

We conduct a wide variety of advocacy training in our state-of-the-art mock courtroom at Portsmouth. This makes research very difficult.

Lawyers, social workers, police officers and expert witnesses have all benefited from conducting advocacy in avery realistic environment. The Court Room and Advocacy

Law is practised in the courts. At Portsmouth, our Qualifying Law degree concentrates on giving our students a good grounding in substantive law but we complement this by offering a variety of activities in our state-of-the-art mock

courtroom where students can develop skills they will need in practice. The courtroom is very realistic and looks like a Crown Court, and even has the Royal Coat of Arms placed above the judge’s seat, reflecting that justice is administered on behalf of the Crown. There is a witness stand and a space for jurors, together with a “dock” for defendants. A distinctive feature of the court-room is the provision of four ceiling mounted cameras. We can therefore film student advocates, download the film and use it as a tool to show the student what went wrong – and what went right! This mirrors professional advocacy training and prepares students for advocacy, both on BPTC and for solicitors who want to exercise rights of audience. However, these skills are very transferable and relevant in many other roles which our graduates are likely to fill. The ability to speak well – and persuasively – in public is a useful attribute in so many different careers. It is no accident that many people in public life had legal training which included advocacy. Our advocacy exercises include the traditional moots (where lawyers argue points of law), but also unscripted mock trials and cross examination exercises. The “witnesses” are actors from our Drama Department and, perhaps, professionals such as police officers or probation officers who give live, oral evidence in the court-room and are questioned by law students. These exercises are great fun, extremely realistic and encourage students to practise the law they have learned. Equally important, a videoed performance of a student in action will add something special to their CVs and might give them an edge in that all important search for employment after graduating. The Court Room and Research

The jury occupies a central role in criminal trials – they decide the innocence or guilt of defendants. Despite their importance, very little is known about how, or why, juries reach their verdicts. In part this is because it is a contempt of court for anyone to ask a juror about their deliberations – and it is an offence for a juror to answer such a question! However, the mock-courtroom allows cases to be heard in a very realistic environment and it is therefore possible to research jury decision making, how the jury reacts to certain evidence and, indeed, it is possible to determine whether juries actually understand some evidence!! These topics are being researched by Portsmouth PhD students currently and Portsmouth would be a great place in which to undertake research into issues relating to trials and advocacy.

06/11/2017

These students have opted to study advocacy and will undertake a course based on the BPTC which will prepare them to act as advocates whether they become barristers, solicitors or legal executives.

06/11/2017

28/09/2017

Beginning another season of advocacy training this week. Looking forward to it.

26/09/2016

Dear All,
We start a new academic year with a large number of students taking the advocacy option. We will be looking at the professional codes for barristers, solicitors and legal executives, so the course will suit any aspirant advocate, regardless of which branch of the legal profession they enter.

23/04/2015

18/03/15Voluntary Advocacy Certificates, University of Portsmouth.All Rights Reserved - Helen Yates- T: +44 (0)7790805960Local copyright law applies to all print & online usage. Fees charged will comply with standard space rates and usage for that country, region or state.

These photographs were taken at the presentation of certificates to those who completed the Voluntary Advocacy Course. Completion of the course, in addition to normal studies, is a significant achievement.

Herbert Smith Freehills - Student advocacy competition

22/05/2014

http://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/careers/london/graduates/student-advocacy-competition
Dear All,
This is an interesting and valuable competition which you might like to enter.
Bernard

Herbert Smith Freehills - Student advocacy competition They should upload their video to YouTube and post the link to the "Herbert Smith Freehills -The Times Advocacy Competition 2014" page on Facebook, then e-mail their skeleton argument to [email protected]

21/03/2014

12/03/2014Law School, University of PortsmouthAll Rights Reserved - Helen Yates- T: +44 (0)7790805960Local copyright law applies to all print & online usage. Fees charged will comply with standard space rates and usage for that country, region or state. All Rights Reserved - Helen Yates- T: +44 (0) 7790805960Local copyright law applies to all print & online usage. Fees charged

These photographs were taken during a mock civil trial held in the University's mock courtroom. The proceedings concerned allegations of assault in a nightclub where a young woman was struck in the fact, causing severe dental injuries. The eye witnesses were played by drama students, the dental experts were students from the University's Dental Department and the lawyers were third year students studying the Evidence and Advocacy option. The trial was completely unscripted.

18/02/2014

http://www.lawcareers.net/Information/BlogPost/17022014-Cumberland-Lodge-part-two?utm_source=LCN+Weekly&utm_medium=HTML+email&utm_campaign=LCN+Weekly+2014-02-18

Dear All, Pse see an account of a weekend at Cumberland Lodge organised by Inner Temple for BPTC students. It is well worth a read and you might like to ask more about this type of event if you attend the Bar Evening on 28 Feb at 1730. It too is being sponsored by Inner Temple.
best wishes
Bernard

Cumberland Lodge: part two This post follows on from my last one about a residential weekend for BPTC students and practitioners at the beautiful Cumberland Lodge, organised by Inner Temple.

07/02/2014

Dear All,
Thanks to Rachel Spearing, a small group of barristers and judges will visit the courtroom at 1730 on 28 Feb to give short talks about life at the Bar. The talks will be followed by drinks and nibbles which will give you the opportunity to network and ask further questions. This is an excellent opportunity for those of you who are, or might be, interested in a career at the Bar. Last year the event was very successful and led to offers of judge-marshalling which were taken up by many of our students.
The event is kindly sponsored by Inner Temple and is free of charge to you, but is likely to be over-subscribed. If you are interested in attending, please register your interest by email to Martine Eneas. We can accommodate a maximum of 40. Finally, it is really important that we continue to present a good impression to influential visitors such as these as they can provide further opportunities for our students. Accordingly, please wear smart office clothes e.g. suit and tie or dark coloured jacket and skirt.
Best wishes
Bernard